Inventing a Shaman
by scarfz
Summary: With the ranking of Shaman King still open Maria Richardson a shaman in the making ventures to Japan with her faithful, oldwestern sprit Aiden to unravel the mysterys that surrond the title of Shaman King and the important role she must play.
1. Perspective

She just sat there, staring off with blank expression strung across her delicate features. Her dazzling blue eyes with curlin, long eyelashes were fluttering in and out of the state of awake and asleep. A frail smile played at the corners of her lucious lips, tugging them upwards ever so lightly as if in a half sort of snicker. She had high cheekbones with beautifully bronzed skin that accented her slim apperence. Either eyebrow was arched in a way, hidden almost entirely by the long bangs that hung across her forehead in a sideswept fashion. Her hair, which fell over her shoulder like a smooth waterfall, frozen over from the long winter was straightened perfectly. It gave off a light, golden tint but was in fact a lovely light brown, that varied in hue with sun-made highlights here and there.

Overall, breathtaking.

I wasn't the only one who noticed this. There were quite a few admirers who gazed upon this beauty with a sense of longing growing more fierce everyday. But none was as fierce as mine.

I wanted her.

Wanted to hold her.

But most of all wanted to be with her.

In a way I guess always was, but such was the relationship between a master and the servent. Though, I doubt she ever felt of me in such a way like I never threated or believed her to be a "master". We treated each other like respectable indivudals, friends to say the least. Our bond was deeper than that though. It ran like long gnarled roots embedded deep within that wouldn't ever faulter. I would do what I was told no matter what, especially if it was in her best interest.

I would do anything for her.

The bell rang.

Maria was one of the last ones to leave the room, scrambling to put her things away into the small tote that sat beside her. During that last lesson I had taken notice that she had been nodding off, and unlike the other students wasn't ready when the ending bell rang. Startled she shook herself away and hurrily started off, shutting the sliding door on her way out.

We had only arrived a few days ago, straight from America. Her Jappense was terrible but she managed and most of the people spoke broken english out of courtsy around her, though those times were few that people did interact with her. Maria wasn't the most socialable. She had the tendency to be shy and quiet, prefering to read over striking up conversation. That wasn't to say that with friends she was like that. Around her friends or rusted people, both of which included me, she was cheerful and overall a pleasure to be with who kept the group going and brushed past awkward moments like they were nothing. Yet it was hard to break the ice, especially in a highschool environment where friendships had already been established, alliances made. What made it even worse was poor language skills. So three days had passed and a few words exchanged, nobody went out of their way except for those boys. Those were the people who got my blood boiling. The ones who acted all cool and nice helping out with little things, earning trust while their thoughts were filled with dirty things. Luckly for me Maria wouldn't surcumb to something so easily, she had a stronger will than to be taken in by a mere sweet words dripping with bittersweet lies that tainted the mouth as they escaped through the thin, dry lips of these casual admiers. That had been my infulence there.

It had trained her to be better than that and it made me proud to see her using the skills I thought her. Proud but there was a nagging inside that made me feel bad. The real intentions of the "skills" I thought her weren't for her benefit but my own. Like I said before my want for her was so great that I wouldn't let anyone else have Maria. So following my own selfish desires I showed her how to reject a boy without honestly realzing it and like a naive child Maria had avoided countless dates, asking outs and overall interaction witht the boys I didn't deem fit to be with my Maria. I acted like a overprotective parent, and in a sense I was. My satus with her was only on a friend or parent like basis but if things were different...

Only one thing ever posed a problem with me.

I was dead.

Technically I was a spirit, cursed to roam the land till the duty or purpose of me is furfilled. I died in 1874 the age of 18. The cause of my death was a arrow. I had been shot by indians on a raid through the country, see that was my position. I had been a theif in my eariler years, ruthless and cold. I killed many and cared little about anything except a good run in which I earned my living. It had been simple but painful. I couldn't dislodge it from my chest which was the main problem and my comrades, if you dare even call them that, left without me. Left me to die on the lifeless, hard ground. If I didn't die from the blood loss a snake, scorpion or other creature would surely find its way to me, killing then feeding upon my cruel, poisoned corpse. But I hadn't been rewarded that sure releif, the simple passage into the abyss the oblvion called _death. _No, I laid there for two whole days, agnoy, shallowing breathing the only sounds in my ears. Then I died.

I gladly accepted death as it gentely embraced me, releaving me from my pain but at the same time I shunned away from it. I wanted to live. I seek revenge.

And that's how I became an evil spirit.

Driven now by anger my body remained on the earth, hurting and scaring more people. I had become famous by then, and took residence in a small town that was considered one of the first "ghost towns". I was the only ghost there but my presense was omnipotent.

That's when Maria showed up though.

Escorded by her father Maria came into my town with a bright smile. She looked excited to be here, through most who ventured were quiet the oppostie. Curious I ventured down and she looked up, straight at me. "Hello." Waving the girl smiled brightly at me.

I staggered backwards, or floatd backwards, taken back by her ability to see me.

The rest became history.

We befriended and helped one another, which resulted in my becoming her guardian ghost.

She was a shaman and I was the servent. But for some reason that didn't bother me. I was content with that and truely at peace with myself. I had never felt that way before and I greatly appreciated it. I soon came to realize when I didn't follow her to school or to the supermarket a sense of uneasyness. Was she alright? Where is she? How is she doing? All my thoughts would be focused on her and that warmness, that feeling of right faded. So, I edventually started the habit of following her and watching out for her.

Maria was terribly clumbsy and always getting into trouble. It was natural to worry.

I sat in the tree precariously, slipping finally down through it and floating inches above the ground. Still dressed in my western style clothes I looked out of place if you could see me in this modern world. But my presence was hidden, somehow Maria had found a way to hide me even from other Shaman and hide her own abilities from other shaman which hinted her incredible power. I always assumed resting within her was a greater power than she was letting on, but didn't pry because I always knew that that wasn't what Maria cared about.

Leaving the school grounds I following a few paces behind, either hand in my pocket. Two hand guns were strapped to my side, ready to be drawn at anytime if needed. Only when the other girl walking with her said, "See ya'." Did I venture up too her, "Hey." I said in my deep voice that caused her too look up. Her fake smile was replaced with a genuine happy smile that made my heart flutter if I even had a heart. "Aiden, I'm so glad you're here."

"Of course I am, now why are you so glad." I tilted the end of my cowboy hat to the side to block the sunlight. "I think there are other shaman in my class." Maria said, looking around first before telling me so. I paused, not really sure what to say. "Other shaman? Like who?"

"Well, I think it's that boy who's always sleeping... Asakura.. erm..." She tapped the end of her cheek, keeping pace with me. "Yoh, I think that's his name. He has the dark hair and the orange headphones, you've seen him right." I nodded meekly, now rubbing my chin thoughtfully. "Who else?" I asked, taking this all in. "That blond girl too, the one who's always with him. I think she's one too. They have a presence about, an aura so to speak." That's right, Maria had the distinct ability of being extra sensitive to auras that emitted off of people. When people were angry or sad she could see, feel, hear, touch and even taste the difference.

"Huh... Well we could alway go find out." I floated high into the air. "I'll go check them out okay." She nodded, "Thanks Aiden!" And I smiled, "Anytime."

And with that I phased through the building and exited into the air, dissapearing into the sky.


	2. Casual Passerby

Flying was such a thrill. Even through I couldn't feel the cool breeze rush against my body, nor the hot sunshine glaring down as I inched up closer towards the heavens the thrill was still there. I could feel my stomach curing, twisting into a compact swirl as I dropped down suddenly head first, aiming for the ground. My heart was in my throat, and blocking the shrill scream that tried to escape from my lungs.  
I would never get over this. Never get over the excitement of flying.

Though I would give it up for one other thing.  
Being alive again was my only other wish. Maybe then she could... or I.

Shaking my head my hat titled forward on my head, covering my eyes and blocking my field of vision. I had dropped quite a distance, not maintaining the high altitude like before and in my frenzy to pull the hat back I found myself flying straight into a building. Phasing through the building I brought my hands up instinctively, only managing to feel like an idiot later as I went through a person's kitchen. Of course they didn't see me, or take notice at all for that matter. I just silently morphed through their counter tops and made my way out of the building never breaking stride.

I chuckled ominously to myself, my dark humor swelling inside me. I wasn't nor would ever be alive again. I had to live with that fact, but for some reason I could not get over it.

I was what the true definition of a ghost was. Clinging to life so desperately I had only managed to live in the world I lived in when I was alive. I say world because that was what it was. It seemed like a completely differently planet than what it turned out to be. I was also thankful that Maria hadn't been born in my time period; she retained that innocence that was so special to me. That naïve demeanor that harbored so much more. If she had been born in my time period I assume she would have been much different. A girl with looks like her would have been easily married off to a wealthy _older_ man. She wouldn't have given me a second glance I fear, only because of what I was and what she probably would have been.

So, I probably shouldn't be so down on myself.

I did get to meet the person I wanted to spend my life with, even though I had no life to spend.

Placing hand just above my brow I scanned the departing students, all going their separate ways most in groups of three or four.

"A boy with headphones and who always slept…" I mouthed, letting the words fall off my tongue. My vision had been greatly improved since becoming a ghost; most of my senses in general had improved. I was focusing on smaller groups because I had noticed once watching her class that he didn't really interact with any of the other groups of clichés of students. He kept to himself, that odd looking small boy and that blond girl. So a group of four giggling girls was quickly dismissed from my search and continuing onward I couldn't help but sigh. There must be another way at handling this.

"Watch out!" Screamed a boy.

I heard it in the distance from where I came from and curious floated on towards the scene, looking for the source.

And who was it.

My Maria.

Narrowly missing an oncoming bus a boy had come to her rescue, ripping her out of the way of the barreling chunk of metal. I gasped and rushed down there praying to god that she was all right.

The boy held her in his arms, clutching her waist tightly with her body pulled into his. He was on top of her and they were over near the club, the boy breathing in deeply Maria just staring.  
"Maria!" I yelled and she looked over at me. "You can get off now." She said softly and breathing his "Yeah," he did just that.  
"Maria." I too was finding it difficult to breathe, each breath laced with worry. Calmly she looked over at me and smiled but looked at the boy. I knew from that look that she was finding it difficult to maintain my invisibility any longer and could feel the pressure of the spirit power lifting off my body.  
The boy looked at her, smiling broadly. "That was a close one." His tone was nonchalant as he struggled to his feet. "Yeah," Maria said, "Thank you so much, I don't know how to ever repay you…" Quickly she got up and bowed to him, taking in Japanese culture. "No problem." He told her, wincing. Maria and I looked down and noticed his ankle was in a bent, weird position. "Oh my god are you hurt?" She exclaimed, grabbing a hold of his shoulder. "Nah, It's no problem." He was trying valiantly to hide the look of pain but couldn't. "No you're hurt. Is there anything I can do? I'll help you get to your home, come on." Placing herself right next to him she leaned over to let him use her as a prop to help get home. "No I couldn't..." He said, trying to wave her away. "Come on, I'm stronger than I look and it's the least I can do." Smiling meekly he nodded to her response and draped his arm over her shoulder, using her to help keep him up as he distributed the weight evenly between the two.

Before starting off I noticed something weird though. He looked directly at me and smiled, nodding casually.

What the hell!? That pissed me off firstly because he was a haughty, kiss ass who needed to be taught a lesson but that he also knew more than he was putting on. Why could he see me? He must also have some distinctive spiritual powers though I doubted they came even close to Marias'. But that's when I noticed something else. As the two of them started to hobble off, me following close behind there were a pair of orange headphones in his back pocket, clearly broken.

Headphones? Hadn't Maria mentioned something about headphones before.

My eyes narrowing I quickly followed after the pair, not a single trusting bone in my body.


End file.
